


Tsubaki

by Jezebunny



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F, F/M, Isekai, Oblivious, Requited Love, Unrequited Love, dating sim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-02-17 21:50:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21550330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jezebunny/pseuds/Jezebunny
Summary: Megumi awakens in the world of her favorite dating sim and plans to go after the most difficult target. She meets Hanae, another transmigrator, who throws a spanner in the works.Written for November Isekai Challenge Week 2.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Female Character, Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

Their eyes met from across the crowded ballroom. Hanae’s delicate wrist was resting on Katsuragi’s shoulder as they danced. His blonde hair was combed back in a deliberately haphazard way. Her expression had been neutral, but when her hazelnut eyes met Megumi’s, she smirked unpleasantly. Megumi stuck her tongue out at her from across the room impulsively. There was no way she was going to show Hanae how much this moment smarted.

“Saito-san?” asked Yamamoto, his black eyebrows rising as he glanced down at her. Megumi laughed nervously.

“Sorry, Yamamoto-kun. Just a joke with Hanae-chan.” Although Yamamoto was leading, of course, Megumi pulled him backwards a bit, leading while following. He allowed himself to be lead-followed gamely, eyes on her like she was the only thing in the world. Megumi tried to bear the weight of his gaze— she’d earned it, after all. 

Sweat trickled down her spine, making her twitch.

The song ended, and an even slower piece started. The kind that was made for romance. Megumi was reminded of the first time she’d heard this song, through her tinny old earbuds. Somehow it had sounded better then than now. 

Yamamoto seemed to stiffen up, motions getting more wooden and shoulders raising. Even though she’d used to know that he wasn’t real, Megumi found herself gently rubbing his shoulder with the hand she had resting on top of it. His tension was making her tense. She carefully didn’t glance over to Hanae. More than once, at least.

He inhaled. Megumi met his eyes, which seemed to be sparkling.

“Saito-san… Will you come with me to Tokyo? After graduation?” Yamamoto blurted, finally. His words were careful, as always, but much faster than usual. Megumi took a moment, working herself up to it. She was… She’d known exactly what he was going to ask, but it still didn’t seem real. None of this did, except—

Before she could work herself up to answering, there was a commotion from across the room. Megumi turned to look. Hanae was standing there in her carefully planned white and green party dress- pearls on her ears and around her neck- and Katsuragi was kneeling in front of her (his own white suit immaculate). He was holding something small out to her. Hanae’s hands rose to cover her mouth.

Megumi— 

* * *

Walked out of the dorm room. Or started to. Hanae grabbed her wrist. She couldn’t go forward without yanking her arm away— and she should have, but being held even for a moment was—

“We don’t have to do this, Megumi,” Hanae started, fingers soft on her wrist. Megumi stared at the wooden door in front of her. The door knob reflected the moonlight— was polished so well that it even reflected her hand, distorted, as it hovered above it.

“You’re only saying that because you’ve won already.” The words ripped from Megumi like knives. They tore through her throat as she spoke, hurting her just as much as she was hurting Hanae. “I don’t need your charity, Hanae.”

“It’s not!” Hanae tugged at her wrist, trying to get her to turn around, but Megumi wouldn’t turn. She could hear the tears in her voice, starting to get hoarse. It wasn’t fair, she even cried beautifully. “It’s not charity! You know I don’t want him, I want—”

“I don’t want to hear it!” Megumi was vicious in her interruption. She didn’t want this Schrodinger’s Box of possibilities to collapse inward. Not knowing was so much better.

“But, I—”

“No!” Megumi’s hand fell to the doorknob, and she began to turn it.

“Can I at least tell you my name? My real name? Please,” Hanae’s sobs broke up her words. 

Megumi froze. They’d agreed before that they wouldn’t; that it didn’t matter who they’d been before. So, why—  
She hesitated, again.

“My name is—”

* * *

“Tanaka-kun, is the budget report ready to present?” asked Saotome. His tone made it obvious that a negative answer wasn’t acceptable. Hanae stood quickly, expression not betraying the nervousness she’d told Megumi about before. Neither of them were going for Saotome, so he should be maintaining a fairly steady mood. His steady mood was… irritated.

“Yes, Saotome-senpai!” 

Megumi was only half-listening, eyes on Katsuragi. Today was the day she and Hanae had waited for-- it was the day that whoever they’d gotten the most lovepoints with would ask them to the dance. Katsuragi’s event was right after this meeting, while Chiaki’s would be at lunch. 

Megumi nibbled on the end of her pen, her gaze drifting from Katsuragi to Hanae’s neck. Something about the dark pink choker she’d started wearing drew the eye. Made people want to think about her more. Maybe it was one of the special items that Megumi had forgotten? Had some sort of buff effect?

“Tanaka-- no, Hanae,” Katsuragi interrupted what Hanae was saying, and Megumi started, realizing she’d been staring at Hanae’s lips for the past thirty seconds. But why was he calling her by her first name.

“Will you go to the ball with me?” he was asking, and Megumi’s mouth dropped open. The pen fell from her suddenly limp fingers. Hanae looked at him, before turning slightly. She and Megumi’s eyes met. It was ridiculous, but Megumi wasn’t sure at that moment what she wanted Hanae to say. 

Whatever it was, it wasn’t what she did end up saying.

“I--”

* * *

“--just know he’s going to ask you!” Hanae grabbed Megumi’s hand, clasping it down over the surface of the desk. They sat across from each other in the empty classroom, windows allowing in the golden-red light of sunset.

Megumi flushed.

“How can you be so sure? I mean, I checked my point totals with Shiori-chan last weekend, but Katsuragi is so hard. I had to use a strategy guide to get him last time!”

Hanae laughed.

“Well, I’ve beaten each route at least three times, and I think I know what I’m doing now~!” she boasted, raising her free hand to cover her mouth as she made her best effort at a noblewoman’s laugh.

Megumi couldn’t help laughing along with her.

“I just worry. It feels like having two of us is pulling things out of alignment, you know?”

Hanae let her hand fall, easy smile still taking up her face. She brushed her thumb over Megumi’s hand. Megumi’s breath hitched, although Hanae didn’t seem to notice-- she was looking out the window instead, wistful.

“This isn’t a game anymore. It’s fine, I think. Having two main characters, I mean. There’s no reason for things to be out of alignment-- the routes don’t even really intersect past first semester, after all.”

Megumi stared down at their hands. Hanae had painted her nails a soft pink this week. Megumi’s own red stood out in comparison.

“I’m being selfish, aren’t I? I haven’t asked you how things are going with Chiaki-kun. Do you think you’re on his route?” Megumi tried to focus on the conversation.  
Resting her chin on her free hand, Hanae seemed to take a moment to think. After a few, languorous seconds, her eyes slid to the side to meet Megumi’s. Their brown seemed molten in the light of the sunset.

“I’m spending all the time I can with the person I like,” she murmured. Time seemed to stop, bursting with possibility.

“Oh,” started Megumi, “You mean--”

* * *

“Chiaki-kun?” Yamamoto shook Chiaki’s shoulder worriedly, but Chiaki was still face down on the table. He was sleeping, probably. Even this late in the game, his illness shouldn’t be causing serious problems outside of cutscenes. And Hanae had the cure on hand just in case-- the plot was important, but it wasn’t worth Chiaki’s life.

“‘M fine…”Chiaki mumbled into the table, voice slurring. Megumi let out a relieved breath, refocusing her attention onto her target.

Katsuragi didn’t normally come to lunch with the rest of the council, so today was a special day. Megumi had come prepared for just such a rare occasion. Actually, she and Hanae had gone to stock up on supplies just two weekends ago.

“Katsuragi-san,” she smiled up at him, keeping her teeth hidden. He liked items with the cute tag, but his profile had mentioned preferring demure women. “I got you this!”

She held out the blue gift-wrapped bag of chocolate covered coffee beans with both hands. His acceptance rate should be at around 70% now, and this was a loved gift, so that should be another 50 lovepoints. After a moment, as if the game was processing around her, Katsuragi smirked down at her and took the small bag with one hand, rude as ever. He was only vulnerable in endgame cutscenes, after all.

“Ooooh, is that young love in the air?” Hanae teased from across the table, grin wide on her face. The little gap between her two front teeth peeked out. Megumi laughed nervously.

“I think it is~,” Chiaki was, of course, willing to part from the table for this. They were such a good couple. Despite himself, Katsuragi seemed to think so, too. He was looking the same direction, eyes wide.

“Please don’t tease the president,” Yamamoto seemed nervous, eyes darting from one couple to the other. He must have been anticipating one of Katsuragi’s outbursts, but he’d mellowed out this late in the year.

“No. Don’t worry about it. I was just leaving. Goodbye, snookums.” Katsuragi leaned down and kissed Megumi on the cheek, smirk firmly back. He seemed to be daring Chiaki and Hanae to say anything about it. Megumi certainly didn’t mind, face flushing as she processed that their plan might actually have worked.

“Take me with you,” griped Saotome, shoving his tray forward and stomping off after him. He still had next to no patience for shenanigans. Maybe they should get Yamamoto to talk to him about his life? Neither of them were on his route, so he wasn’t going to develop as was, right?

“So~,” started Chiaki, as if the kiss was everything in the world, “Are you hoping for Akito to ask you to the dance, Saito-chan?” He leaned forward, and Hanae mimicked him. They were both gleeful, eyes and mouths wide and hands splayed on the table.

“W-well…” she started, biting her carefully lipsticked lips now that he was gone, “I wouldn’t mind, if he--”

* * *

“--left! Honestly!” Hanae threw herself bodily onto her bed. Spinning around in her chair, Megumi leaned forward, hands on her knees.

“What? Katsuragi? Is he being a jerk again?” 

“Katsuragi? Yeah, no shit! Of course it’s Katsuragi!” Hanae had no trouble expressing herself, especially now that they were in their dorm room. No boys to disappoint or lose points with here, after all.

“He’s so terrible! What were the writers thinking? So what if his mom abandoned him! That doesn’t give him the right to treat us like this!” She rolled over and started punching her pillow, “I’m not your mom, dumbass! Do I look like I give a fuck? Honestly! Intolerable! I liked him way more when I could skip through his dialogue and just look at his stupid pretty face!”

As she watched Hanae take her anger out on her helpless pillow, Megumi huffed out a laugh, slightly ashamed that she’d chosen him. She wanted the best option financially and in terms of overall character development throughout the route. However, the way that Katsuragi treated anyone besides his love interest was… pretty horrendous.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized for him.

“It’s not your fault, Megumi, it’s the stupid writers’ fault! And his, now that he’s real, I guess?” With a sigh, she fell forward onto the pillow she’d been hitting, hair flying every which way around her in a whoosh of walnut brown.

“I suppose…” It felt like her fault, though. If they just hadn’t joined the council, this wouldn’t be a problem. And Chiaki’s route didn’t require joining the council, so--

“Really,” Hanae rolled over, facing the wall. Maybe she was starting a sulk? It was probably better to give her space. Megumi turned around to get back to working through homework she’d done before. It was tedious, but simple enough.

“If you wanted…” Ten minutes later, Hanae interrupted her quietly. Megumi tilted her head back to listen, not yet turning around. “We could just. Run away. Together. There’s nothing keeping us here.”

Megumi reached up to her hair, fiddling with the ends of her silky black hair. She started to swivel, and the chair squeaked, disrupting her thoughts.  
“I just… well. What if this isn’t real? What if we need to beat the game to get out? Back to normal?” She said, eyes glued to the eerily perfect dorm wallpaper. The flowers seemed to be watercolored by hand, somehow.

“What if it is? What if we’re wasting our time here, going after these boys just because it’s what we think we should do?” Hanae countered, sounding tired.

“...Even then… is it so much of a waste to just. Do it. And then change our minds after? I don’t mind it.”  
Hanae sighed.

“Megumi… Sometimes I wonder if you’re just--”

* * *

“Happy? About everything? I’m really not!” Shiori’s giggle belied her words. Everything about her glowed-- her bubblegum pink hair, her pastel yellow eyes. She barely seemed part of the world. Everything about her stood out.

“Name one thing you’re unhappy about, then!” Hanae seemed game to play. Megumi was eager to go along with her now, too. Why had she ever worried about her?

“Are you too good looking, Shiori-chan?”

Shiori tried to take a measured sip of her shake, unperturbed… but a helpless laugh broke out of her, leaving her coughing around her straw after a moment. Some whipped cream had gotten on her lip. 

“You guys~!” She patted her face with a napkin, pouting jokingly. “No! I was talking about my English grade, obviously!”

The three broke down laughing again, other customers in the cafe turning to look at them. They didn’t mind, not today. 

“Thanks for the shakes, by the way~!” Shiori nodded at the other two she’d already finished. After a moment, she fished out a pink envelope from her purse and held it out towards them. “That’s got your updated love-love scores inside!”

Hanae took the envelope. She was the strategist, so it only made sense. Megumi certainly didn’t mind. Content, she took a sip of her own chocolate shake. The sound of the envelope tearing and paper rustling were barely audible over the cafe’s low hum. Shiori slurped her strawberry shake, not seeming to mind that their attention had strayed.

“Oh!” Hanae gasped. Letting the straw fall from her mouth, Megumi turned to her. The letter had captured her attention, so she leaned over her shoulder to read it. 

“Shiori-chan~! That’s so funny, actually!” Hanae-chan recovered before Megumi got to whatever had caused her shock. “You put Megumi and I’s love-love score with each other on here! Did you make it so high because we’re such good friends~?” 

She’d what??? Megumi’s eyes raced across the page, finally finding it.

Saito Megumi x Tanaka Hanae : 88% love love!!! ❤❤❤❤!!!!

“No~! Of course not~! Megumi-chan and Hanae-chan just have a really high score~!” It was impossible to tell whether Shiori was joking. Her smile was unreadable.  
Megumi laughed along, still confused. She didn’t want this to mess with their friendship, after all.

“Well, after Hanae-chan, it looks like my highest love-love score is with Katsuragi-kun! That’s great!” she said. Hanae was looking down at the paper, too, probably checking her own ratings. She took a breath in, looking almost pained for a moment, which was ridiculous, because she was doing great with Chiaki.

“And my score is--”

* * *

“Twenty percent! Yamamoto-kun, could you tutor me, please?” Hanae didn’t seem to remember high school as well as Megumi. Or at least not Chemistry. 

“No problem, Tanaka-san!” Yamamoto agreed immediately, always happy to help. 

“I can help, too!” Megumi offered. Hanae wasn’t going for his route, so it should be fine, right? They should both be pretty solid at this point, really.

“Then I’ll come along. To keep things balanced, of course~” Chiaki butted in. He probably just wanted their answers without having to do any work. Well, he wasn’t really Megumi’s problem, so--.

“Sure~.” Hanae was practically beaming. Megumi felt herself grinning helplessly back. Something about Hanae’s smile… maybe that cute little gap in her teeth? It was just… amazing. Megumi didn’t think she looked like a background character at all.

“Let me just get my--”

* * *

“Homework?” Megumi examined Hanae’s expression carefully, trying to see whether she was joking or not.

“Well, yeah, I have it done, do you need it? How old are you, anyways?” They were in their dorm, so Megumi found it much easier to talk. No need to worry about being overheard. It was such a relief. She’d not really appreciated having to watch her words and actions even here, before.

“I’m 28, but that means I graduated ten years ago, you know~? I’ve forgotten all of this already.” Hanae was smiling, although Megumi couldn’t tell whether it was a sensitive topic or not.

“I’m 28, too, but I didn’t forget this stuff. Or. It came back pretty easy once we got here. But uh. Yeah, it’s no problem, here’s mine.” Megumi dug hers out of her bag, tucked away for the next day.

“In exchange, I’ll tell you one of the secret items to gain Katsuragi points~! I’ve beaten each route three times, you know~!” Hanae splayed halfway off of her bed, seeming to relish in this. Megumi found herself gaping.

“Wow, what is this, your--”

* * *

“Favorite game?” Hanae tapped her chin. “I don’t think I have one, Megumi-chan! Why do you ask?”

“Well, it’s because my favorite is Kakumei Gakuen 2000% Love Love: Boys’ Side, and I was wondering if you’d pl-”

“What did you just say?” Hanae was standing up suddenly, hands on Megumi’s shoulders. The other students eating lunch in the classroom with them all turned to look; silence descended over the room.

“...Maybe we should talk about this somewhere else?” Megumi offered, feeling eyes on her from all around. Hanae looked around, too, then nodded. She kept hold of Megumi, though, leading her out of the room.

“You’re from outside the game, too? You’ve played it before?” Hanae’s dull brown eyes were wide and shining with hope. Megumi couldn’t deny them.

“Y-yeah. I thought you might have. Uh. You always seem to know what’s about to happen, so--”

“I’m that obvious?” Hanae gasped, seeming like she was doing all sorts of math in her head all of a sudden.

“Well, maybe just to me? I know what’s going to happen, too, after all. And you’ve been giving Chiaki-kun all of his favorite items every day, so--”

“I have, haven’t I?” Hanae tapped her chin. Megumi nodded, eyes wandering to the other girl’s hand on her shoulder. She shrugged out from under it.

“So I wanted to talk to you. Plan together, maybe? Why are you going for Chiaki-kun, anyways? He’s kind of…” Megumi trailed off, not knowing how to say it nicely.

“Well, he’ll die otherwise, won’t he?” Hanae said, matter-of-factly. She raised her eyebrows at Megumi, as if asking what she’d expected. 

“Oh.” Megumi hadn’t been thinking about that. Chiaki was pretty forgettable if you didn’t get on his route-- like a secret character who wasn’t really worth the pain of unlocking.

“Well, that’s nice of you?” she tried.

“Yeah, haha,” answered Hanae. “Besides, it’s not like I’m pretty enough to try for any of the others, right? I ended up looking pretty average!”

Megumi stopped to examine her for a moment. If you compared the two of them, Megumi’s shimmering black hair was much higher quality than Hanae’s own drab brown. The smooth skin she’d gotten from her transmigration compared with Hanae’s freckles… Well, to be honest, Hanae was cute. Just not as pretty as Megumi’s new body.

“No! Of course not! You’re adorable!” Megumi refuted. Hanae didn’t seem to believe her, waving the compliments off. 

“Anyways, if you’re also from outside, we should plan together! You’re going for Katsuragi-kun, then, right? I was wondering why you joined the student council!”

“Yeah, I have no idea what I’m doing. His route is just my favorite. Anyways, for the student--”

* * *

“--council. Welcome.” Saotome didn’t sound particularly welcoming. But he wasn’t really meant to be greeting the new members. That was the president’s job. But, of course, Katsuragi was late. 

Megumi sat to the side, nervously watching the other members. There didn’t seem to be any rival characters, which was good. The original game hadn’t had any, after all. Although it was kind of strange? She thought the treasurer was the guaranteed role for the protagonist, but Tanaka Hanae from her class had gotten it. Maybe it was because she didn’t have the same stats as the original player character?

“The first item of business is--,” started Saotome, who was eyeing Yamamoto to ensure he was taking proper notes. 

“Introducing your one and only best president, of course,” interrupted Katsuragi, who had finally deigned to appear. “Done with the boring things now, Yuuta? Let me take a look at the new girls, then~.”

Somehow he hadn’t seemed so sleazy in the game, but-- Well, Megumi had just binged his entire route. She’d probably just forgotten the beginning. 

Katsuragi’s eyes dragged over each of the new girls-- and how had Megumi not noticed that, outside of the capture options, all of the new members were girls (just not ones she really remembered from the game). His gaze caught on Megumi, brilliant blue eyes seeming to catch (metaphorical) fire. He smiled at her, teeth white and straight, and winked.

What a--

* * *

“Dream! This has got to be a dream!”

\----- rubbed her eyes harder, before looking back up at the school gates.

**AI HAKKEN GAKUEN**

What on earth? She’d just gone to bed after another near all-nighter playing Kakugaku 2000%. This had to, had to be a dream! Ugh! Right after she’d finished the hardest route, too! She hadn’t even gotten a chance to go review the unlocked CGs in the gallery!

“Saito-kun, is everything alright?”

She turned to face that voice, vaguely familiar. A sweet looking boy with black hair strolled up to her, expression concerned in a distant way. Ah. It was Yamamoto Ryo-kun. That was who she’d secured in the first route, 50 hours of binge-play ago.

“Saito Megumi-kun?” he repeated, as if unsure of her name. Megumi? That was a pretty name. She’d go with that, sure. 

“I’m sorry… Yamamoto-kun,” she tried, trying to figure things out. “I just can’t remember what day today is. Um. Could you remind me?”

“The date or the weekday?” he asked, immediately applying himself wholly.

“Both, please?” she turned to face him fully, still standing stock still outside the gates.

“Tuesday, the fifteenth of May,” he said.

“Oh.” Megumi squinted at the gates. That was the first day of the game, too. “Well. Thank you. I’m fine now.” She might as well go along with the game. Going for Katsuragi Akito had to be easier while she was dreaming, right?

“You are very welcome,” Yamamoto nodded, before walking off towards the school. Now, the first steps were finding him and joining the student council, right? Elections were only a few days from now in the game, right? After just a few steps, she bumped into a girl-- one of the background characters from the game? Whoever she was, she was standing around like an idiot. Just like Megumi a few seconds ago, huh? Well, weird, whatever. 

After apologizing perfunctorily, she walked--


	2. Forwards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ending one
> 
> Stepping Forwards

“I’m sorry, Yamamoto-kun,” Megumi pushed away from him, letting go of second place. She strode towards Hanae and Katsuragi. Katsuragi’s eyes were for Hanae alone, but Hanae’s were on Megumi.

“Hanae!” she called out, face flushing with a combination of shame and anger and--

“Megumi, are you--”

“Hanae, your answer?” Katsuragi wasn’t one to ignore, or at least he liked to think of himself that way.

“Just a second.” Hanae wasn’t going to let that stop her, though.

“I! Before you go with him! I wanted to tell you that! I actually…” Megumi took in a deep breath, clenching her fists and trying not to wilt under all the eyes on her. She had to-- or she’d just completely forget all about this and just go with what was easiest and--

“I like you, Rei!”

The words echoed in the suddenly silent ballroom, static buzzing at the edge of her awareness.

“Me-- Misaki!” Rei dove forward, arms enveloping Misaki with a whoomph. Something was shifting around them, but neither could place exactly what. The world was seizing and shaking, like it hadn’t decided whether to fall apart or not just yet.

Regardless, Rei wrapped her own arms back around Misaki, leaning forward to press her head into her shoulder. Her vision smeared, and--

She woke up, in the arms of a woman she didn’t recognize. They were in her bedroom, which looked somehow both sad and like the best place in the world after all that time in the game. Her body felt familiar and unfamiliar-- god it was going to be amazing to be an adult again.

The woman was waking up, too, eyes blinking blearily. They were brown.

“Rei?” she asked.

The woman shook her head before seeming to process the question. She lit up, smile wide. There was no gap between her teeth, but she had a dimple to the left of her mouth.

“Misaki?”

Misaki felt her own expression melting into a matching smile. She felt warm. Everything was shining, somehow, in this dark, dusty bedroom.


	3. Backwards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ending 2
> 
> Stepping Backwards

Megumi turned her head away from the overdramatic scene, tucking her face into Yamamoto’s chest. 

“Yamamoto-kun… No, can I call you Ryo-kun?” she spoke seriously, hoping he’d realize that she really meant it.

“Of course, Tanaka-san! You may call me whatever you’d like.” His answer was signature Yamamoto, not that Megumi was going to call him on it right now. She felt… Well, she didn’t know how she felt, but--

“You have to call me Megumi, at least, alright? If I’m going to go with you to Tokyo~.” Somehow she mustered up a teasing tone, one she’d learned from Hanae throughout the year. Although… honestly, she was kind of feeling it. She’d done Yamamoto’s route first, all that time ago, hadn’t she? He’d been her dream boy of all of the ones on the cover of the game. She’d just gotten obsessed with one-hundred-percenting the game. Wasn’t it enough to be happy with her first choice?

“Okay,” he said, hesitant tone filling his voice. He continued leading them in the dance for a bit longer, and Megumi let him take the lead fully. “Me… Megumi… san.”

“Good work!” she congratulated, pleased at his effort. They spun around and she saw Katsuragi standing alone on the other side of the ballroom. He didn’t look as satisfied as she’d expected him to.

Actually, where was Hanae?

“She left,” Yamamoto-- No, Ryo, she reminded herself-- answered her apparently asked aloud question, “I think she must have said no. Katsuragi-san should know better than to ask for something like that, right? We may be graduating, but it’s too early for that!”

“Hmmm…” sighed Megumi, Hanae heavy on her mind, “I’ll talk to her in the dorm later, I don’t want to leave yet.”

“Alright, Megumi-san,” Yamamoto’s tone was neutral, although it hitched when he got to her name. Megumi smothered her laugh, and they danced the night away. 

The next morning, Hanae was gone.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspiration for format taken from a Sonic fanfic that I read years ago that hasn't ever faded from my mind... but I don't remember the title.  
> Inspiration for scene changes taken from Inside No. 9-- the episode with the woman who flashes through her life.
> 
> Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 are two possible endings for this story : )


End file.
